“I first became aware of the disease when my grandma was diagnosed, and I wanted to find a way to help and honor her. There’s just so many memories taken away.”

Erik hopes to play 72 holes in one day. He plans on getting to Arrowcreek at 5 A.M., at the crack of dawn, and play until it gets dark. Exhaustion is going to hit, but there’s going to be one thing on his mind to get him through this long and tough day.

“I’m just going to be thinking about my grandma and how much it means to her for me to raise awareness and resources for this disease,” Erik said.

The endurance aspect of golf is often overlooked, but Chris says the event will take a toll on Erik, explaining that the first 36 holes will be physical, the last 36 will be mental.

“As the day continues to progress, it’s going to be get more and more difficult, mentally. He’s got one of the strongest minds of any kid I coach,” says Chris. “Just as long he keeps some water in him, give him a sandwich every once in a while, he’ll be alright.”